With increased security in the mass transportation industry, including airline, train and bus, passengers are required to remove footwear to pass through security check points. It is not desirable to remove footwear to expose bare feet or feet with socks or nylon stockings to a wet, cold, dirty floor environment. A wet, cold and/or dirty floor environment prevents a person from comfortably walking through security checkpoints.
Additionally, with the long waiting times in security lines due to increased travelers and extensive security inspections, it is desirable for a traveler to be ready, e.g., footwear removed, to pass through a security checkpoint. Removing footwear prior to a traveler's turn through a security checkpoint saves time and decreases overall waiting times in security lines.
If a traveler desires to remove footwear just prior to their turn at a security checkpoint, it is desirable to have portable footwear that is quick and easy to put on. It is further desirable to have footwear that is flexible such that it is quickly and easily transformed into a knock-down state, to fit within small spaces, such as a pocket or purse, making the footwear readily at hand.
Besides situations such as security lines or other public places where regular footwear may need to be removed, there are other environments where barefoot walking may not be desired, such as an airplane cabin or a hotel room, or a religious establishment or the like where footwear is not permitted.
There does, of course, exist footwear, including shoes, oversocks and slippers. Other footwear includes those as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,665,883 to Sloan, U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,438 to Throneburg, U.S. Pat. No. 6,931,762 to Dua. While this prior art footwear provides protection, there are certain shortcomings.
The footwear of Sloan and Throneburg has leg portions that fit over the calf of a person, while the footwear of Dua includes a securing system, or strap, that must be assembled. This footwear is not adapted to be quickly and easily put on or taken off in timely situations.
The footwear of both Dua and Throneburg is further constructed from bulky thick materials, such that they are not flexible to be easily knock-down for storing within small spaces. Additionally, this footwear must be tailored to a specific foot size.
Thus, there is a need for providing travelers with portable travel footwear that is durable, as to not tear or rip and to protect bare or socked feet, while also being waterproof in the circumstance of a wet floor environment. The portable travel footwear must also be flexible, such that it is quickly and easily transformed into a knock-down state (from an erected state) to fit within small spaces, while easily accessed when required. There is a further need for providing travelers with portable travel footwear that is elastic to fit securely over varying contours of travelers bare or socked feet. There is also a need for providing travelers with portable travel footwear that is lightweight so that the footwear does not add any additional weight, to already heavy luggage, for the traveler to carry. Additionally, making the portable travel footwear readily movable and usable between any such other baggage would be even better.